For Your Eyes Only
by Remmak
Summary: The Lone Wanderer's tinkering produces a working camera. Now all she needs is a model. Vaultie and Charon. Fallout 3
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes -** First piece of a three-part story. This version has been censored for obvious reasons, but I'll be making the full version available on my blog just as soon as it's done. This is a side story from 'All Who Wander'. Might wanna read that first for it to make sense. Round one! Ding!

**For Your Eyes Only **

It was a hot day in Megaton, and the tin rooftops were sizzling. The Brahmin outside Doc Church's clinic sat lazily in the mud to keep cool while every resident that could holed up in their homes. Those that didn't have a place of their own gathered at Moriarty's to drink and complain and abuse the unfortunate ghoul bartender. Much to Gob's disappointment, his favorite resident was busy on the east side of town, battling the heat a different way.

"There now," Charon heard Digit say from somewhere inside the dusty metal chute he stood by patiently, "Flip the switch and let's see what happens."

"Shouldn't you come out of there first?" he asked with an unseen smirk.

"That better not be a slight on my mechanical aptitude I hear there, ghoulie," the woman's sassy remark echoed from the vent, "I may be missing parts, but I own you remember?"

"I remember, Dij," the ghoul replied, "My contract is yours."

"The switch, please, sir."

Charon lifted a scarred hand and flipped a small lever on the wall beside him. He heard a soft humming sound followed by a whoop of victory. As the sound grew louder, a breeze escaped the vent shaft at his knees, followed by Digit's dingy combat boots and bony bottom. The woman crawled out of the vent and sat back in a crouch, resting on her heels. She pushed a lock of reddish hair behind her ear before glancing up a the ghoul smugly.

"So, got anything smart to say now, Mr. Doubtful?" she goaded.

"Good work, Dij."

She smiled and held up her hand. Charon took it and hoisted her to her feet effortlessly. He stood by a moment more as Digit replaced the vent cover, then gathered the tin siding she'd removed earlier to make space for the fan.

"What would you like me to do with this?" he asked her.

"Just leave it there for now," Digit replied as she wiped her sweaty brow with the back of her hand and stepped over to the Nuka-cola machine outside her bedroom, "Now that we have some rudimentary AC going, I think we deserve a break. Don't you?"

Charon remained silent and piled the debris neatly in a corner by the vent where it would be out of the way. He turned back to his contractor and found her leaning into the cool air escaping from the soda machine. His keen eyes could catch the wisps of chilled air that flowed over her tanned skin, even in the poorly lit shack. They caressed her face and neck gently, taking the uncomfortable heat with them. He traced her tranquil form in quiet envy until she finally withdrew two bottles and closed the door. She sighed contentedly as she held one out to him. He reacted slowly, unwillingly distracted by the outline of a damp shirt against her small breasts.

Digit didn't seem to notice and popped the cap off her cola happily. It gave a soft hiss and bubbled invitingly. She took several long swallows that emptied half the bottle before taking it from her lips and giving a self-satisfied sigh of relief.

"You know," she said thoughtfully as she plopped into one of the chairs that sat at a small table near where they'd been working, "In the Vault, everything was rationed. I only got to have Nuka-cola on occasion because the supply was limited to whatever had been sealed up with us. And now that I'm out here in the Wastes, I can have Nuka-cola whenever I want. Seems kinda backwards, dunnit?"

"At least you can see the bright side of things, Dij," the ghoul said as he joined her in the opposite chair. She shrugged and threw her head back to watch the dust motes swirling in the sunbeams that shown through cracks in the metal roof.

"It's not so bad. I have a lot of freedom out here, and that's something I never had in the Vault ya know? Plus, I finally have access to a lot of the old technology."

"Surely the things that survived out here were in the Vault," Charon said.

"Yeah, but I wasn't allowed to mess with them. No freedom, remember? Only the senior technicians got to operate the machines and do repairs. Most of what I know about mechanics I learned from manuals I snuck out of their equipment room when no one was looking."

The woman suddenly snapped forward in her seat so fast she sloshed a bit of soda onto her lap. She turned sharply to Charon with a sly grin. "That reminds me," she said, "Wanna see my new toy?"

"Toy?" Charon repeated cautiously.

"Come on, ghoulface!"

Digit grabbed Charon's forearm and pulled him along behind her as she descended the creaky stairs to the living room below. Their height difference made the ghoul stumble forward a few times, but somehow he managed to reach the bottom floor without tripping and falling ass over appetite with Digit in tow. She drew him over to her cluttered workbench and gestured for him to take a seat. He complied and watched her dig around a weapons locker curiously. When she turned back to him, she had a camera in her hands. It looked nearly pristine, with a fresh flash bulb and all. Charon looked to Digit's face with a raised eyebrow.

"I got it working!" she exclaimed at his unenthusiastic reaction, "There's enough film left in it for fourteen shots. I can't develop them here, but I talked to Moira and she can get me the stuff to do it."

"What will you do with it, Dij?"

Her smile widened and she grabbed a suitcase that sat to the right of her workbench. She cleared out room on the bench and hefted it up on top. When she clicked open the sides to reveal the contents, Charon's face contorted.

"No," no he said firmly.

"Whatda ya mean no?"

"This isn't in my contract."

"So? It'll be fun!"

"Not for me."

The ghoul crossed his arms and stood while Digit lifted a spotless button-down shirt from a pile of pre-war clothing in condition almost as good as that of her camera. What she withdrew next made a muscle along Charon's jaw twitch: a charcoal gray suit with black pinstripes and a matching fedora. She spun the hat in her hands and flipped it onto her head with playful pizzazz. A few of her long bangs blocked her eyes when she leaned over and held the suit up to him for size comparison.

"Come on, Charon," she insisted, "I got it hemmed just right!"

"I don't want to do this, Digit."

The woman put the suit back on top of the other clothes and removed her hat. The ghoul didn't refer to her by her full name unless it was something serious.

"What's wrong? I thought it'd be fun to get dressed up and take some pictures. I mean, how often do you run across functional equipment out here? I had to dismantle three cameras to get enough parts to get that nice one going again, and now you want to steal my thunder."

She pouted a little and ran her hand over the silk suit mournfully. "I even spent a week adjusting this to fit you."

"That's not who I am," Charon said as he gave the fine clothes a disdainful sneer, "I never wore such things even when I was human."

Digit smiled and traced her hand up his shoulder. "What _did_ you wear?"

To her surprise, the ghoul's only response was to grab her hands and gave her an uncomfortably heavy stare.

"Charon…"

"If you want to play pretend that's your business," the ghoul said in a low voice, "But I refuse to be anything other than what I am. I am a ghoul and a man of war, I am _not_ a frilly human with frivolous desires."

He released her hands and stalked back upstairs wordlessly. When he reached the top, he had the nerve to shove Wadsworth out of the way. A slam rang out behind the robot as he hurried to safety by Digit.

"I dare say, madam," Wadsworth drawled indignantly, "That ghoul do with some lessons in etiquette."

"It's my fault," Digit replied slowly, "Think I've made him angry…"

"He's a ghoul, my dear. They're _always _angry."

Digit's eyebrows pinched and she frowned at her unlikely housekeeper.

"No, no they're not," she said defensively, "And especially not Charon. I've never even heard him raise his voice before. I know he hated Ahzrukhal and he still hates slavers, but he's not the type to get worked up over nothing. I've obviously upset him somehow."

Her mouth turned down sadly as she stared up the stairwell at the door to the study the ghoul occupied.

"I just don't understand how…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes - **Yeah, for this audience I had to take out the good parts, but I'll post the full thing on my blog again soon. Check there if you want the spicy bits.

**For Your Eyes Only - Part Two**

Digit's lanky legs dangled off her barstool listlessly as she stared into her drink. It was a short glass of Nuka-cola that had been sitting untouched in front of her for so long it'd gone flat. An uncustomary air of melancholy radiated from her that kept the other customers at bay; only the ghoul bartender was willing to offer his sympathy. He tucked a dirty rag into one of his pant pockets and planted his hands on the bar alongside her. Despite her gloomy mood, the woman couldn't help but smile at the friendly face that appeared upside down in her cup.

"You haven't take a sip of that since you've been here, kid," the ghoul said carefully, "Something's eating you, I know it."

Digit looked up at him and shrugged.

"Not gonna tell me, huh?" he continued, "I understand, but I'm here if you wanna talk, alright? It's about all I get to do in this place besides work."

As the barkeep retreated to the backroom to count inventory, Digit had a change of heart. "Gob…"

He turned back to her eagerly. "Yeah, kid?"

"This might seem like an odd question, but I want you to answer truthfully, 'kay?"

Gob smiled. "You got it."

"Would you ever wear a suit?"

"A suit?" the ghoul repeated, "Like one of those snazzy numbers that Burke fellah was wearin' awhile back?"

Digit nodded, causing Gob to scratch at a patch of his leftover hair thoughtfully. After pondering it for a moment, he held his arms out and shrugged.

"Sure," he said, "Yeah. If I had that kinda money and a classier joint than this to hang out in, I'd wear a suit. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I gave one to Charon recently and he didn't like it much," she explained, "In fact, I think it mad him mad."

"Oh, yeah?" Gob replied as he whipped out his rag again and polished an abandoned glass, "Humph. Pretty girl gives me a gift, I take it and don't ask questions."

Digit tried to smile at his words, but faltered. Gob swallowed the rising lump in his throat and walked around the bar to sit next to her.

"You really care about what that guy thinks don't ya, kid?"

"Yeah. I spend more time with Charon than anybody else, and now he's mad at me. I don't even understand why, so I don't know how to fix it.."

"If you don't know why he's upset, then what makes you think he's upset with you?" Gob asked, "Why don't you tell me what happened? Can't guarantee I'll be much help, but it might make you feel better to get if off your chest. God knows you've listened to my bitching for long enough."

Digit gave a weak smile, but finally nodded. As she explained her confrontation with Charon to Gob, a red-haired woman descended the stairs at the back of the bar. She stood in a corner near the pair and smoked a cigarette as they talked. When Digit was done with her story, it was the interloper who spoke first.

"Sounds like your ghoul friend's a little intimidated," she said.

"What do you mean, Nova?" Digit asked the woman.

"I mean," Nova continued as she exhaled a cloud of smoke, "That your desire to change his dress might make him feel inadequate. Like you don't accept him as he already is. I've known lots of men like that - they take every little request as a personal criticism. Heh. And they say women are the insecure ones…"

"Why would Charon think that?" Digit asked in confusion, "It was for fun! It's not like I expect him to throw out his leathers and wear a suit everyday."

"But he doesn't know that, Dij. He might think this is just the first step in a long line of attempts to turn him into something other than what he is. He said it himself, right? 'That's not who I am'?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Listen, honey," the red head advised as she stalked over to the bar and put out her cigarette in an ashtray at Digit's elbow, "Even tough guys like him can feel vulnerable from time to time. It's what makes us human. Or ghoul. Whatever."

"What should I do?"

"You could start by telling him how you feel."

Digit blinked but said nothing. Gob threw a nervous glance to Nova and saw what he thought might be maternal warmth hidden behind her eyes. When he looked back to Digit, she seemed younger than he'd ever seen her before.

"I don't _know_ how I feel…" she said at last.

Nova's face softened and she put her hands on Digit's shoulders. She brought her face close and said to her softly, "Baby, you _love _him…"

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It took Charon all day to finish his errands- errands he'd had to do alone because Digit had been avoiding him ever since that night with the camera. It'd been almost a week since his little spat, and she'd barely said two words to him since then. Truth be told, a part of him was starting to worry. She hadn't asked for his help or issued any orders lately either. She was ignoring him, and he wondered how long it would be before she didn't need - or want - him around anymore. Of course, he'd already considered apologizing, but it seemed like everyday Digit had a new excuse to spend time by herself. He couldn't get close to her anymore, and he was starting to feel the old loneliness of Underworld creep back into his heart.

When he reached Digit's shack on the outer ridge of Megaton, no light was streaming through the window. She'd been going to bed early lately; just entering like a ghost and spiriting herself to her room before he could stop her. Apparently tonight would be no different. The ghoul entered quietly and saw a meal waiting for him on the table in the kitchen. It was cold, and he ate it out of habit more than hunger. Dinner was once an important event for the two of them, and now here he was alone, eating unheated leftovers.

Charon put his dishes away and climbed the stairs to his room at the second floor. When he reached the top of the stairwell, he studied Digit's door anxiously. Was it possible she was still awake? He walked over the door and dropped his hand to the knob, but couldn't find the courage to turn it. She'd never invited him into her room before, and besides, if she was asleep, waking her up would only make things worse between them.

He stalked back to his room quietly and shut the door. Once inside, he leaned back against it and sighed. Sleep had been difficult for him lately, and he wasn't looking forward to spending the next eight hours staring at the ceiling while his mind questioned everything leading up to this point in his life. He moved to the rooms low coffee table and lit the small oil lamp there. As he adjusted the flame, he became aware of his reflection in the mirror on the far wall. The mirror was cracked and rusted in places; as ugly and ill-used as he often felt he was. A hollow feeling opened inside his chest as he searched the ruined face staring back at him through the battered glass. Maybe it had broken in the same way he had - under the assault of nuclear war. Or maybe it'd just been broken by plain old human carelessness.

Charon turned away from his reflection once he'd stared at it long enough to strain his eyes. He sat on the edge of the couch Digit provided him for sleeping and began removing his heavy boots. He tucked them into a corner next to his shotgun then worked on his leather armor. Normally, he preferred to keep it on, but there was little need in Megaton, and given the uncomfortable state of his mind, he didn't think a little physical comfort was too much to ask for. After his things were secured under the couch, he fell backwards into his pillow, crunching something in the process.

The ghoul sat up instantly at the sound and snatched away the cushion. Underneath it was a brown envelope with a message written in Digit's choppy hand.

_For Your Eyes Only _

Charon sat silently in the shadows as he considered the small package. It seemed odd that Digit would choose to contact him this way after nearly seven days of silence, and with an air of secrecy no less. What was so sensitive that she couldn't just tell him in person? Was someone in town watching them? Was she-

The ghoul froze as something closer to home crossed his mind. He suddenly found himself flipping open the front flap and grabbing frantically at the papers inside. As he dashed back over to the oil lamp, he forced himself to taking a calming breath. With shaky hands, he drew the papers into the light for inspection.

And gave a heavy sigh of relief.

The papers were not his contract. In fact, they weren't actually papers at all. They were photographs…of Digit.

Though it took his over-loaded brain a moment to realize it, the girl in the picture was definitely her. An aspect of her he'd never seen before, but her. Somehow, she'd managed to find a butter-yellow dress cut in a style that would have been popular in the pre-war days. It looked clean, and soft, and for once, so did she. Her hair and skin had been scrubbed free of Wasteland filth; her body had been stripped of all the leather and gunmetal that normally cloaked her. She looked vulnerable and feminine as she posed for the camera with a great, glittering smile. She seemed happy.

The edges of Charon's mouth twitched up into an affectionate smile. Was this Digit's secret? What she'd been sneaking off to do on her own everyday? He chuckled softly and brushed the photo with his fingers as if to prove to himself that it was real.

It was.

His grin deepened as he took a few more moments to savor the shot before flipping eagerly to the next. As soon as he held the second photo aloft, all of the warm feelings inspired by the first suddenly got a lot hotter.

The Digit in this photo wore the cocky expression he'd come to love, along with pinstripe trousers, a matching fedora, and little else. She was posed provocatively with nothing but black suspenders across her bare chest and a come-hither look in her eyes. The tiniest hint of a pale pink nipple peeked out from her immodest cover, and the hand trailing down her leg promised more.

The ghoul swallowed nervously as his eyes ate up her image. What was she thinking sending him such pictures? Had this been her plan for that camera the whole time? He shoved the thoughts aside and the picture went with them. The one that took its place turned his already feverish body white hot. As a heated flush crept up his neck, he wondered just what he'd done to deserve such an intimate interlude - and just what it was Digit expected in return.

He collected the two erotic images and slipped them back into the envelope before stashing it in the top drawer of his desk. The photo of Digit in a yellow dress remained on the table, propped up against some old books where it could greet him in the morning. Emotionally drained and thoroughly exhausted, Charon went back to his bed, already contemplating the static that would hang in the air between himself and his employer from that night forward. Just before his eyes closed to send him on a deep slumber, he noticed a tiny slip of paper on the floor under the table. It must have fallen out when he'd taken the pictures from the envelope, he guessed, because the words written on it could have only come from one person…

_I love you, Charon._


End file.
